Enhancing seismic images

Abstract

A method of enhancing seismic images includes receiving a seismic gather. The seismic gather includes a plurality of seismic traces. A feature trace is generated based on the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather. For each of the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather, a correlation trace is generated based on that seismic trace and the feature trace, the correlation trace is modified using an activation function, and an enhanced trace is generated by multiplying that seismic trace with the modified correlation trace.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving a seismic gather, wherein the seismic gather includes a plurality of seismic traces; 
 generating a feature trace based on the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather; and 
 for each of the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather:
 generating a correlation trace based on that seismic trace and the feature trace, wherein the correlation trace includes a set of correlation coefficients, each correlation coefficient calculated using: (i) an inner product of a segment of the feature trace and a segment of that seismic trace, and (ii) a correlation window size, wherein the correlation window size is smaller than a length of the feature trace or that seismic trace; 
 modifying the correlation trace using an activation function; and 
 generating an enhanced trace by multiplying that seismic trace with the modified correlation trace. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the seismic gather is a migrated common image gather. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the feature trace is generated by summing the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the activation function is a sigmoid function. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the modified correlation trace reduces unwanted components in that seismic trace. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a seismic image based on the enhanced trace; and 
 generating drilling parameters based on the seismic image. 
 
     
     
       7. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a seismic gather, wherein the seismic gather includes a plurality of seismic traces; 
 generating a feature trace based on the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather; and 
 for each of the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather:
 generating a correlation trace based on that seismic trace and the feature trace, wherein the correlation trace includes a set of correlation coefficients, each correlation coefficient calculated using: (i) an inner product of a segment of the feature trace and a segment of that seismic trace, and (ii) a correlation window size, wherein the correlation window size is smaller than a length of the feature trace or that seismic trace; 
 modifying the correlation trace using an activation function; and 
 generating an enhanced trace by multiplying that seismic trace with the modified correlation trace. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the seismic gather is a migrated common image gather. 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the feature trace is generated by summing the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather. 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the activation function is a sigmoid function. 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the modified correlation trace reduces unwanted components in that seismic trace. 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 generating a seismic image based on the enhanced trace; and 
 generating drilling parameters based on the seismic image. 
 
     
     
       13. A computer-implemented system, comprising:
 one or more computers; and 
 one or more computer memory devices interoperably coupled with the one or more computers and having tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, perform one or more operations comprising:
 receiving a seismic gather, wherein the seismic gather includes a plurality of seismic traces; 
 generating a feature trace based on the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather; and 
 for each of the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather:
 generating a correlation trace based on that seismic trace and the feature trace, wherein the correlation trace includes a set of correlation coefficients, each correlation coefficient calculated using: (i) an inner product of a segment of the feature trace and a segment of that seismic trace, and (ii) a correlation window size, wherein the correlation window size is smaller than a length of the feature trace or that seismic trace; 
 
 modifying the correlation trace using an activation function; and
 generating an enhanced trace by multiplying that seismic trace with the modified correlation trace. 
 
 
 
     
     
       14. The computer-implemented system of  claim 13 , wherein the seismic gather is a migrated common image gather. 
     
     
       15. The computer-implemented system of  claim 13 , wherein the feature trace is generated by summing the plurality of seismic traces in the seismic gather. 
     
     
       16. The computer-implemented system of  claim 13 , wherein the activation function is a sigmoid function. 
     
     
       17. The computer-implemented system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
 generating a seismic image based on the enhanced trace; and 
 generating drilling parameters based on the seismic image.